My cat has leukemia. What extra care can I give him for a happy life?

Poor Norbert. Since you know that he has feline leukemia, I would get him started on some l-lysine if you haven't already. There is a paste and chew formulas. This helps to boost their immune system. See links below for options. I would also be concerned that he has an abscess or infection or even a tumor where those swellings are. He could be avoiding you because he is uncomfortable. I would have your vet take a look at him. Your vet will be able to determine what the swellings are and even do blood work if needed. They should be able to get him starts on some antibiotics, pain meds and even an appetite stimulant if needed. I would be sure to ask the vet for an estimate before they do any diagnostics. The vet should be able to come up with a treatment plan that will help Norbert but also fit your needs. I do not recommend to give any human pain meds as most of these are toxic to cats. I hope this helps and he starts to feel better soon! L-Lysine chews: https://www.petco.com/brand/vetriscience-120-count-2215443?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&adpos=1o2&scid=scplp2215443&sc_intid=2215443&cm_mmc=PLA-GG-_-PTC_P_BND_PLA-GG_FY17_SCShopping-TM-_-Non+VIP-_-92700026086767577&kwid=p26086767577&device=c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgMSVktCj2AIVw7XACh2AZgaGEAQYAiABEgLRp_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds L-lysine paste: https://www.chewy.com/vetoquinol-viralys-l-lysine-oral-gel/dp/102542?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=Vetoquinol&utm_term=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_ozrr9Cj2AIVgbrACh2ykg-REAQYASABEgLx2_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I'm very sorry Felix has leukemia! It is a very hard decision to make if you want to euthanized him or not. It really depends on how he is doing at the moment, what symptoms he is showing, and how much you want to invest in treatment. Eighty-five percent of cats who are diagnosed with FeLV die within three years of diagnosis. But regular vet care and good preventative health can help keep cats with this feeling well and can prevent secondary infections. Secondary infections from FeLV can be treated, and cats who develop can cancer receive chemotherapy. If you chose to treat him, you should do twice yearly vet visits with lab testing and parasite control to prevent complications and identify problems quickly. Felix should be kept indoors at all times now. Cats who has bone marrow compromise or widespread lymphoma do have a very poor prognosis. I wish I could give you an easy answer as to what to do, but depending on his current symptoms, Felix does have the possibility of living another couple of years with good vet care and treatment of any secondary infections. It's really up to you how much you want to invest in his treatment. I would be happy to consult with your further on this if you'd like. Simply select the "consult online" button under my answer to talk more.

If Norbert has always drank the same amount of water and urinated the same amount of times since you got him I would not be concerned. Some cats will drink and urinate more than others. However if this is a new behavior I would recommend taking Norbert to a vet to have his urine checked. Feline leukemia can suppress the immune system and make a patient more likely to get disease. I hope that helps

Poor Norbert. He shouldn’t be any dirtier than normal just because of the feline leukemia. He may naturally just be a more oily cat and he may be lazy and not groom himself as much as most cats. There isn’t s great way to bathe a cat. If he is pretty laid back, he may not care. He may just talk to you and try to escape the tub but may not do anything more than that. If he is hissing or sounding aggressive, be careful because I do not want you to get bit. You can just try by putting him in the tub and get him wet to see what he does. I would use a cup and not a shower head to get him wet. If you don’t think you can give him a bath, I would ask your vet if they can do a bath. Most do just baths and they aren’t crazy expensive. I hope this helps!

Hello. I am sorry for your concerns about Cookie. Her anemia can be caused by other things including blood parasites like Hemobartonella & intestinal parasites like hookworms & roundworms, not just by the Feline Leukemia virus. I think it is a good idea to do the Snap FeLv test, but even if the test is positive, there are still things that can be done to make her as comfortable as possible. I would also definitely test the other cat, because if she is negative then she can be vaccinated to prevent the virus ( I hope the vaccine is available in your country, it is used routinely here in the US). Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

The best thing you could do for the other cats is to isolate them until they. An be tested and vaccinated for the FeLV virus. The virus is spread through direct contact with saliva, blood, and urine. Routine veterinary care is the best way to make sure the FeLV cat stays as healthy as possible - periodic blood work and exams can catch problems more quickly.

You have a little bit of a tricky situation. The only way your 8 year old cat can get Feline Leukemia is if the kitten is infected and shedding the virus. Since the kitten tested negative before you brought him home, you know he was not shedding the virus at that time. BUT since you know he was around another cat that could have have been shedding the virus, he could still become positive from that exposure (which can take a little while to test positive for). The safest thing to do for your 8 year old cat would be to keep him separated from the kitten for the next 90 days, then retest the kitten for Feline Leukemia. If he is negative at that time, then you can reintroduce them. Good luck! I hope everything is fine and that was helpful. Let us know if that doesn't make sense or if you have any other questions. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.